Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague
by Geraldine Brooks
by Geraldine Brooks
Synopsis
When an infected bolt of cloth carries plague from London to an isolated village, a housemaid named Anna Frith emerges as an unlikely heroine and healer. Through Anna's eyes we follow the story of the fateful year of 1666, as she and her fellow villagers confront the spread of disease and superstition. As death reaches into every household and villagers turn from prayers to murderous witch-hunting, Anna must find the strength to confront the disintegration of her community and the lure of illicit love. As she struggles to survive and grow, a year of catastrophe becomes instead annus mirabilis, a "year of wonders."
Inspired by the true story of Eyam, a village in the rugged hill country of England, Year of Wonders is a richly detailed evocation of a singular moment in history. Written with stunning emotional intelligence and introducing "an inspiring heroine" (The Wall Street Journal), Brooks blends love and learning, loss and renewal into a spellbinding and unforgettable read.
Review
This was a recent book club pick for my personal book club. I liked the book to start and had no time getting into it but I couldn't finish it before we met so I had the ending spoiled for me. And since a lot of people in my book club didn't like the ending, it was hard to finish it on my own then and actually LIKE the ending. But that was my own fault for not finishing on time.
The premise of this book is a fascinating one, especially since I didn't know much about the plague in England before reading this book. The book also took place at the cross section of religious upheaval, witch craft and the start of modern medicine - which gave much food for thought. The characters were brilliantly portrayed and this was a quick read in my opinion but it is true that the ending was a little strange. It didn't seem to fit the flow or the characters of the rest of the book.
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